Contex Brings New Solutions to Wide-Format Scanning

Contex A/S is bringing innovation to the wide-format scanning market with several new products and updates that feature never-before-seen technology. Among the new entries is the SD3600 wide-format scanner series, which comes with patented CIS scanning technology for enhanced image quality of scanned technical drawings and maps. Contex also upgraded its Nextimage scanning and image enhancement software, which now includes first-to-market accounting features and multi-page file functionality.

Creating great excitement in the wide-format market is Contex's newest powerhouse, the HD Ultra, a 36- and 42-inch wide-format scanner with CCD technology. In addition to exceptional speed and productivity, this scanner offers superior image quality and versatility. The market has responded positively to the HD Ultra; the reseller channel, customers, and the company's team of scanning solutions experts have all offered rave reviews.

HD Ultra Raises the Bar

The HD Ultra is designed for various industries - including reprographics and copy shops, engineering, GIS professionals, architecture and construction companies, utilities, manufacturing, and government -- that archive and preserve various types of documents, images, and drawings. The wide-format scanner helps these users to work more efficiently and to collaborate better with clients and colleagues.

The HD Ultra offers the most efficient way for users to scan, copy, file, and preserve wide-format images, drawings, documents, and records. The scanner's innovative paper-handling is a first in the large format imaging market. SnapSize, Contex's new automatic size detection software, registers any standard-size document as it is fed into the scanner, then automatically optimizes the scanner's setup for that particular document. This feature saves valuable time and ensures a clean, accurate scan.

Intelligent automatic camera calibration, programmable one-touch buttons, and easy network connectivity are among the features that separate the HD Ultra from the competition. Other productivity features include the new FlexFeed, right-side document loading that is easier and faster than center-loading. Additionally, new funnel-shaped feeding simplifies scanning curled originals, and removable paper return guides eliminate the need for rewinding paper.

"The HD Ultra delivers significant productivity gains, with faster overall scan speeds and fewer re-scans due to misfeeds. Our customers will appreciate the overall image quality, FlexFeed capability, and scalability of this new scanner," said Richard Gigl, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, National / Azon Equipment, a U.S.-based distributor of Contex scanning solutions.

Users will appreciate the time savings provided by new features introduced with the HD Ultra. For example, FlexDoc makes it easy to scan documents, regardless of the thickness or condition, with both automatic thickness adjustment control and contour correction. A paper pressure slider allows for scanning both thin newspaper and thick foam boards on the same scanner.

Connecting to a LAN is also easier thanks to the Gigabit Ethernet port and SmartShare, which allows any workgroup computer to control the scanner. This feature eliminates bottlenecks that typically happen when a scanner is restricted to a single computer.

Enhanced CCD Technology

Contex has always led the market in image quality, and the new HD Ultra continues this tradition. The scanner provides true 1200 dpi optical resolution and comes with five cameras featuring the latest-generation Toshiba high-resolution four-channel CCD. The new camera design uses glass-filled polycarbonate to ensure high precision and temperature stability. Both are important factors to keep image quality at optimal levels. All cameras are electronically precision-aligned and have custom-built Fuji optics, carrying the best quality stamp in the industry. The HD Ultra camera design also has improved focal distance, which has been reduced by 50% with fewer mirrors. It also includes new high-speed all-digital LVDS camera interface. HD Ultra supports full RGB color.

"As more government agencies require documents to be delivered digitally, the new Contex wide-format scanners make this transition easy by delivering a solution at an affordable price, without compromising the specs or features," said Boy Co, President, American Technologies Inc., a Phillippine-based distributor of Contex scanning solutions.

Another key innovation for achieving the industry's best image quality is AccuColor. This feature introduces 48-bit data processing for all steps: from scanner data capture and scanner data processing, through PC data processing. Other scanners typically offer 48-bit only on the scanner capture, and 24-bit data processing at all other steps. AccuColor delivers improved color fidelity and reduced noise on the scanned images.

Fastest High-End Scanner in Market

Having the industry's fastest scanner means being able to complete more jobs in less time. Capable of delivering a file for immediate use, the HD Ultra scans 12 inches per second in grayscale and 6 inches per second in color, making it the most productive scanner available. In real-time performance, the scanner turns out 597 color or 901 mono scans per hour (A1 landscape). This speed is facilitated by the optimized Gigabit Ethernet technology, which triples data transfer compared to USB 2, delivering a stunning 80MB data transfer per second. No other scanner in the market transfers more than 100MB of image data from the scanner to the PC in less than 2 seconds.

Energy Star-compliant, the HD Ultra requires less than 4.3W in stand-by and has instant-on scanning with only 2 seconds of wake-up time. Built to last, it is designed to produce at least 2 million scans. The wide-format scanner also comes with instant integration with leading printers and can be used to output to any office color printer or copier.

"The HD Ultra is the most productive wide-format scanner on the market. Users will appreciate its outstanding image quality and flexibility to integrate the wide-format scanner with printers," said Thomas Rauh, Business Unit Manager, Kisters AG, a Germany-based distributor of Contex scanning solutions.

Precision Scanning

The HD Ultra comes with ATAC Technology (Automatic Thickness Adjustment Control) for thick, rigid documents. It can scan up to 0.6" (15 mm)-thick originals, such as posters mounted on foam boards or gator boards. Additionally, the scanner's "All Wheel Drive" (AWD) design for fragile and old media provides a perfectly straight scanning path with an optimal hold across the whole width of large documents, which prevents image distortion and damage to fragile originals.

"Nextimage is an important tool for wide-format scanning, and the new features enhance users' productivity. Project managers, for example, will appreciate the time savings with both the new batch scanning capability and the quick button for scanning different types of jobs. Saving multiple scans to a single PDF file is also a great plus," said David Cheng, National Manager - Print & Finishing Solutions, GBC Australia, a market leader in document finishing and business mailing solutions.

Nextimage, the software that drives Contex scanners, allows for easy walk-up usage and touch-screen capabilities that simplify scanning processes. Recently updated to version 2.0, the software now comes in three editions: Nextimage MFP (ships only with a Contex MFP bundle), Nextimage Scan+Archive, and Nextimage Repro. New features -- such as multi-page PDF and TIF support, accounting, and programmable one-touch buttons -- will make users even more productive. For example, settings can be personalized to ensure the same scan, copy, and colors every time, which is ideal for workgroup scanning with multiple users. Multi-function capabilities -- including scan-to-file, scan-to-print, and scan-to-net -- let users experience easy and efficient document exchange and distribution.

"The Contex HD Ultra and SD3600 are the best in the market. Their quality is unique. The optical resolution and the sensitivity of the sensor readings are standouts," said Harri Laitinen, Managing Director, Planix, a Finland-based provider of professional solutions for planning, data management and archiving of both 2D and 3D environments.

Professional and Office

Users will find that that the Contex HD Ultra scanning solution is simple to set up, use, and maintain. The scanner is available in two versions: Professional, for high-volume applications, and Office, which delivers ease-of-use, image quality, and versatility for occasional use or walk-up scanning. The HD Ultra Professional scanning resolution is 1200x1200 dpi with speeds up to 6 inches per second. The HD Ultra Office delivers 600 dpi and 1 inch scanning per second in color speed. Users can upgrade features within each version.

"The new capabilities of the HD Ultra - higher optical resolution and improved handling of the originals - will make a significant difference to our customers. The ability to tailor a scanner for customers' needs is a tremendous advantage. Users can select the size and functions for today, and upgrade it as their needs grow," said Piotr Obrebski, Direct Sales Director, DKS Poland, a distributor of Contex scanning solutions.